In 2010, the ILO has published the “Decent work for domestic workers” to setting standards on decent work for domestic workers, stating “in response to the long-standing perception of domestic work as a form of “women’s work” that does not require any real skills, qualifications or training, the ILO and its constituents have asserted the value of domestic work to both the families and the workers involved, their households and the economy as a whole” (ILO 2010). Alongside with the value of recognition, the ILO stressed that “a more contemporary approach to career development that is increasingly reflected in national policies and legislation is to recognize the skills required in domestic work and to offer domestic workers a better future by promoting basic literacy skills and vocational training”. Although the workforce is estimated as 4-10% of the labour force in developing countries (26 million in Europe according to Eurostat), and expected to grow in next decades, the sector suffers both from a lack of regulation and recognition. PRODOME aims at contributing to the professionalization of domestic workers by providing a common European curriculum for the profile of Domestic Housekeeper: the curriculum will be fully developed, both in terms of learning resources and guidelines for its implementation, and will be delivered in two countries. The European Curriculum for Domestic Housekeepers, which will be made available under open licenses, will be delivered together with standards for recognition, and potential pathways for certification.
In many countries, domestic work suffers from insufficient regulation and recognition. In 2010, the ILO published the report “Decent work for domestic workers” to set standards “in response to the long-standing perception of domestic work as a form of “women’s work” that does not require any real skills, qualifications or training”. At EU level, the EU Parliament resolution 28th April 2016 encouraged member states to protect the rights of these workers. To do so, the sector shall be professionalised through training and certification, in line with the growth and jobs agenda and the Strategic Framework for European cooperation in education and training (ET 2020), as defined by the Copenhagen process and the Riga Conclusions. With this aim, PRODOME addressed the professional profile of domestic housekeeper (ESCO 5152) to provide a common European curriculum and to promote certification standards.This multifaceted goal required a complementary consortium: 6 full partners and 5 associated partners from 4 member states, France, Italy and Spain (within Europe, the biggest employers of domestic workers, which proves the geographical relevance of the consortium): •IPERIA(French platform for the professionalisation of home employment),France•FEPEM (French Federation of Household Employers),France•MARGOTTA (VET provider),Italy •ASSINDATCOLF (National Association of Domestic Employers),Italy •FOREM (VET provider),Spain •CCOO - Construccion y Servicios (Federation of trade unions),Spain •EFFE (European Federation for Family Employment)•Grupo SSI (cooperative for care services), Spain•Regione Emilia-Romagna, Directorate-General Knowledge Economy, Business, Employment, Italy•ANCL (Associazione Nazionale Consulenti del Lavoro),Italy•Fundae (Fundación Estatal para la Formación en el Empleo),SpainTo reach this main project goal, 3 main objectives were fixed:1.To achieve a better understanding of the situation of domestic workers in Europe 2.To develop a training programme adapted to the needs of the sector3.To promote certification at EU level for domestic workers.The first key output produced was the study "The state of the art of domestic work in Europe" (deliverable 1), based on desk and field research involving 54 experts and 109 domestic housekeepers via semi-directive interviews, a Delphi exercise and questionnaires.In line with this study, a curriculum was completed (deliverable 2), including a competence framework with specific and transversal skills (e.g. green and IT skills), in line with EQF (level 3) and validated by a panel of 26 stakeholders (domestic housekeepers, VET providers, decision-makers, social partners, PES and other experts) involved in 6 focus groups.The learning architecture and path developed accordingly included 9 modules with a total length of 300 hours: 180 hours in blended learning, face to face and distance learning, and 120 hours in work-based learning, corresponding to a total of 10 ECVET credits.The related training contents and training materials (deliverable 3) were developed in 4 languages (EN, FR, IT and ES) and tested according to EQAVET principles by a total of 58 domestic housekeepers with very positive results: 96% rate of completion of modules, 98% rate of satisfaction from learners and 100% from trainers, and above all 7 trainees having found a job right after the training.In parallel, certification perspectives were addressed (deliverable 4) and 3 concrete steps for domestic housekeepers’ professionalisation were proposed, on the basis of desk research and consensus building activities, mainly 5 policy visits involving 112 stakeholders and 5 consensus workshops involving 29 stakeholders. As a last step, the roadmap “Professionalising Domestic Work” (deliverable 7) was presented during the final conference (deliverable 6) hold in October 2019 in Paris, gathering high level speakers and participants.